Ships Passing In The Night
by keladryevangelinerhysenn
Summary: Avatar Aang meets a certain fire princess and starts to feel very old. features next generation, one-shot


**A/N: a truly fluffy drabble. I'm just dropping it here and running. Enjoy! **

She stood out like an angel on the blank canvas of the tundra; golden hair blowing around her head like a halo in the bitter wind. The Avatar was unexpectedly filled with enormous pride for the young woman who stood before the thriving harbor. The crown Princess of the Fire Nation with a Water Tribe name, called Tara only to distinguish her from her predecessor. "_I owe Katara so much." The girl's father had told him. "I can only hope that someday my own daughter will grow to be like her."_

A coy smile spread across her lips as she set eyes on the Avatar.

He was reminded of the formality her very presence commanded and bowed. "Princess." He welcomed her jovially. Even when she had been very small he had done the same.

She inclined her head regally, acknowledging him. "Avatar." She replied reverently.

He righted himself and smiled mischievously, holding his arm out for her to take. "Every time I see you I feel very old indeed." He informed her. She rubbed his bald head for good luck before taking his arm and smiling back at him. "What brings you to the Southern Water tribe now?" He raised his eyebrows.

She sighed as they set off towards the newly erected metropolis that had once been a small fishing village. "It gets very lonely on my pedestal in the Fire Nation."

"Ah, yes. On that, I can agree." He remarked sagely. The princess squeezed his arm affectionately. They understood each other. "Katara is making you a feast." he chuckled. "She's enlisted the help of nearly everyone in the palace."

"I suppose that explains why you're the only one here to greet me." She stared up at the bright sky, reveling in the glow of the sun.

"Why, were you expecting someone else?" He grinned and studied her expression.

"No, no…not at all." She said dismissively, keeping her eyes trained on the sky. "Well…I was kind of anticipating being glomped by a crowd of tribesmen as soon as I stepped off my ship." She giggled. "That's really why I came, I guess. For family." She turned to smile at him. Her aureate eyes reminded him of her lineage.

"Well you've certainly come to the right place! Here I was worrying that you were just running away from your responsibilities!" He teased her.

She chuckled humorlessly. "That's certainly not the case, but I must admit it is nice to be here in the arctic where the effects of the sun are…muted."

He may have been the only link to the spirit world, but in a way, so was she.

Her godfather's eyes had become suspiciously moist when he first held the newborn princess with her crown of yellow hair. It was a story Sokka was all too familiar with. When you were devoted to a powerful spirit from birth, you always carried the knowledge that someday you may have to relinquish your life for the greater good.

Aang observed the awe struck stares of those who saw the stunning girl pass by. He was silently pleased that some attention had been taken off him for once. Those who recognized her gave graceful bows and she met each gaze demurely.

_"Oh, she is every bit as shrewd as my sister, but in an entirely different approach." The Fire Lord commented. She sees what the public wants from her and she gives it to them- or at least pretends to." _

"What of your family back in the Fire Nation? Little Lu Ten must have grown even since the last time I saw him. I am just sorry that I could not visit him for his birthday last month! How old is he now?"

"He's thirteen and looks more like my Mom every day." She responded, a trace of melancholy in her voice. "Dad loves him very much. I really don't look anything like mum… Spending time with my little brother seems to lighten his mood, though. " She sighed, tugging on a strand of her hair. The Avatar was overcome with remorse when he saw her troubled expression. She carried such a heavy burden for one so young. No wonder they had always gotten along swimmingly.

"He still misses her. You know I promised myself I would never fall in love after she died? Seeing the way Dad reacted broke my heart as well. His advisors keep urging him to get remarried to facilitate another treaty… I told him I would have to take his place." She focused her eyes on the ground, contemplating the path she was traveling on and her fate.

The Avatar fought the temptation to giggle momentarily. The princess may have dozens of admirable qualities, but she was still obviously clueless.

_"Who knew after all these years we would be joined together by even our children!" The Fire Lord smiled on a palace balcony watching the midsummer celebration fireworks. _

_ Below, in the garden that spread out before the palace, the Princess was twirling lengths of fire around her like ribbons. The Avatar's eldest son was following her; both were laughing and most likely heading out to rejoin the festival's late night activities. _

_ "I guess I did." Aang admitted while his friend looked at him skeptically. "Our paths crossed too many times for our lives _not_ to be closely linked." It was the anniversary of Ozai's defeat and both men were feeling reminiscent._

_ "I suppose we did it for them in the long run, even though we didn't realize it at the time."_

_ The young boy grabbed the girl's hand and kissed her, she entertained the kiss long enough to push him over the edge of the turtle duck pond. She fled the scene, giggling uncontrollably. He summoned a massive blob of water and dropped it over her head before she could get very far. _

_ Zuko chuckled. "That was a rookie mistake. Never let a waterbender get too close to water if you're planning on deceiving them." The princess steamed herself dry and hastily ran after him and into the thriving streets, unaware to her audience. _

"We may live in a state of relative peace, but there is still sadness." She sighed, bringing him back to the present. 

"Even I cannot defeat sadness, my dear. I believe that is a war we all must fight for ourselves." Aang winced. Being too philosophical too early in the morning gave him heartburn.

"Oh, Aang I've missed you." The princess broke her normally impenetrable composure and hugged the bald man.

"And I you, my dear." He smiled and patted her back, feeling very old indeed. His white lotus tile may be coming in the mail any day now.

"Are you going to come in any time soon, or can I tell mom to stop cooking for the day?" Neither of them had realized that they had reached the chief's fortress. Tara laughed and ran to the boy in the doorway, sweeping him into a crushing hug.

Aang gradually made his way toward the door, grinning to himself all the while. He knew that by the time she left, the Princess of the Fire Nation would have a Water Tribe betrothal necklace fastened around her neck. The round blue lapis stone would look lovely against her tanned skin. The symbol of her home land would be elegantly carved into it and her fate would be sealed.

Balance, the Avatar thought silently, had been worth every hardship and sacrifice.


End file.
